Fincairn fly-tippers condemned

Kevin Mullan

Published:21:00Friday 17 March 2017

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A local councillor has renewed calls for heavier fines to be imposed on fly-tippers after a section of road running through beautiful countryside outside Drumahoe was once again turned into a dump site.

DUP Alderman for the Faughan District Electoral Area, Graham Warke, made the call after Richard McIlwaine, who lives off the Fincairn Road, reported how a neighbour had discovered over a dozen black bags containing household waste and alcohol cans strewn along the side of the thoroughfare last Thursday.

Mr. McIlwaine said the illegal dumping occured approximately a mile from Drumahoe on the road to Campsie.

Alderman Warke, said fly-tipping was an ongoing problem across the district and an issue that has plagued the Fincairn Road area in the past.

He called for heavier fines for those caught making a mess of the countryside.

“Personally l feel heavier prosecution on the people involved,” he said.

“Fly -tipping can be dangerous to health, it pollutes land and waterways and costs significant amounts of public money, which could be better spent elsewhere, to clear away and for us it important to keep the rural areas beautiful.”

Alderman Warke said illegal dumping was not only an eyesore and potential hazard to humans, it’s also potentially dangerous for farm animals, particularly in farming communities, like Fincairn.

“For the farming community there is a cost in cleaning this mess up and also the many issues it has on farm animals and wildlife.

“Over the last couple of weeks there have been a number of calls made to me about fly-tipping and working with council enforcement and PSNI we hope we can find those involved. I ask people to respect are countryside and it’s doesn’t take much to take litter home or properly get ride of rubbish,” he said.